From the Womb and the Tomb x 2 

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I. We are physically born from darkness into the light of day, and spiritually born from the world into the Light of Truth

Jn 3:3...unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God 15 whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life

1Pt 1:21 who thru Christ believe in God, who raised Him from the dead & gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth thru the Spirit for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, thru the word of God which lives and abides forever

Rm 4:17... Him whom he believed --- God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

24 (Righteousness) shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

II. Born again believers must move out of the tomb of darkness to follow Jesus in the light, with help from fellow believers

Jn 11:3 "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." 4 This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thru it 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him 16 Then Thomas, who is called Eeyore, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

23 Jesus: "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha: "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus: I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." 35 Jesus wept. 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"  40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." 

cf Jn 831 Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, (cf Jn 15) you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free 34...whoever commits sin is a slave of sin 35 a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed

Acts 4:10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name/power/authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

III. We must die to what once held us (our temporal desires/habits) so we can live by faith in the power and promises of God

Acts 13:30 God raised Him from the dead 34...no more to return to corruption...38 thru this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins

Rm 1:3 (gospel re:) His Son Jesus Messiah our Lord, who was born of the seed of David acc to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power acc to the spirit of holiness Ps16:10, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith...

Rm 6:4 we were buried with Him thru baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory/power of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rm 7:4 dead to the law thru/dia the body of Christ..married to another to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God

6 delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit not in the oldness of the letter. 

Rm 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies thru His Spirit who dwells in you. 

Col 2:6 As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in/by baptism, in which you also were raised with Him thru faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses...18 let no one cheat you of your reward

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 5:24 those who are/belong to Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

2Cor 5:15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:           cf Eph 2:8-10

1. Have you reached the point in your spiritual journey where you know for sure you'll live happily ever after in heaven? Why/How?

2. Why did Christ die so we could be forgiven? What's God's purpose in saving us? What should born again babes in Christ do? 1Pt 2:2

3. What's the difference between being justified by Christ's death and being crucified with Christ? What does baptism have to do with it?

4. Are you living for your desires or Christ's desires? How do you crucify your old corrupt temporal desires? Is it a one time thing? Rm 12:1-2

5. What do you think keeps believers from living for Christ 24/7/365.25? Anything holding you back? How do you live for Him cx self?